The Irish
Times

GM Foods As Safe As Conventional Conterparts

A Food Safety Authority of Ireland report prepared by a committee including leading public health specialists, nutrition experts and plant biologists was cited as finding that GM foods on sale in Ireland are as safe as their conventionally-grown counterparts although GM foods on the market do not provide any additional nutritional benefit for consumers, but this may change in time.

The report, published yesterday, was cited as finding that most available GM products are essentially equivalent to their unmodified versions, but nonetheless, gene technology "requires careful regulation to ensure there is no threat to human or animal health". The group, which advises the FSAI on GM and novel foods seeking access to EU markets, has endorsed the safety of available products - essentially GM soya and maize, and their derivatives - but also suggests where regulations need to be strengthened in the interests of consumer health.

The FSAI chief executive, Dr Patrick Wall, was cited as acknowledging there was widespread concern about genetic modification technology, due to a wide range of factors, including lack of knowledge and misinformation.

Others had, for example, genuine environmental, "pro-organic" or ethical concerns, which could not be considered within the remit of the report.

"These concerns have nothing to do with food safety. But irrespective of their reasons, people have a right to know the origins of the food they are buying."

To reinforce this, the report was quoted as saying that consumers have a right to "clear, unambiguous labelling in order to make informed purchasing choices". The FSAI is working with the State Laboratory to provide a facility to test for GM foods which will include the ability to carry out spot checks in retail outlets to enforce EU labelling regulations, its head of operations.

Dr Colin Hill of UCC, chairman of the expert group which compiled the Food Safety and GM Foods report, underlined its independence, in that none of the scientists who worked on it was employed within the GM food industry.

While it entailed an evaluation of research data provided by multinationals who had developed the products, it was possible to determine the merits of the science.

Genetic Concern accused the authority of "merely rubberstamping industry research", and highlighted the absence of indep endent testing of GM foods.